Coin operating device for vending machines



Oct. 26, 1937. R. H. BIRD COIN OPERATING DEVICE FOR VENDING MACHINES 7 sheets-sheet 1 Filed Feb. 13. 1935 INVENTOR.

l-.' H. BIRD COIN OPERATING DEVICE FOR VENDING MACHINES ct. 26,y 1937.

m 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filled Feb. 13, 1935 INVENTOR ct. 26, 1937. n. H. BIRD COIN OPERATING DEVIVCE FOR VENDING MACHINES Filed Feb. 13, 1935 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENT OR. Mg/.viii W ATTORNEY.v

i ct. 26, 1937-.

R. H. BIRD J COIN OPERATING DEVICE FOR VENDING MACHINES Filed Feb'. 13, 1935' 7 sheets-sheet 4 INVENTOR.

Iii

BY @WM y R. H. BIRD COIN OPERATING DEVICE FOR VENDING MACHINES Filed Feb. 1:5, 19:55 7 sheets-sheet 5 .oct. 26, 1937, A R. H. BIRD 2,096,129

COIN OPERATING DEVICE FOR VENDING MACHINES INVENTOR.

Oct. 26, 1937.

R. H. BIRD COIN OPERATING DEVICE FOR VENDING MACHINES 13, 1935 '7 Sheets-Sheet 7 Egled Feb.

INVENTOR.

It?? /Z 77 j] BY M/// Patented Oct. 26, 1937 u NiTED y STATES PATENT OFFICE COIN OPERATING DEVICE FOR VENDING MACHINES 'Russell H. Bird, Detroit, Mich. Application February 13, 1935, Serial No. 6,328

3 Claims. (Cl. 1M-63) This invention relates to a coin operating deshowing the operating cam grooves formed vice. therein.

. The object of my invention is to` produce a Fig. 8 is a cross sectional view of the driving coin operating unit adapted for a special vending drum taken on the line 8-8 of the Fig. '7, showmachine dispensing several different kinds oil ing the spring driving means and vconnection to 5 merchandise therefrom. the .drum unit.

Another object is to produce a coin operating Fig. 9 is a front view of the selective lock reunit that is automatically selective and operalease disc showing the series of selective lift plugs tive for diierent denomination coins as may be mounted thereon.

10 required deposited therein for securing different Fig. 10 is a vertical sectional view taken on the 10 priced merchandise as may be selected. line lil-I0 of the Figs. 1 and 3, showing the `edge .A further object is to produce a coin operating view of the selective release lock disc shown in device adapted for multiple compartment dis- Fig. 9, and the release operating arms engaged pensing machines, that will automatically lock with the lift plugs mounted therein.

certain coin chutes not operative for special mer- Fig. 11 is a vertical sectional view taken on the 15 chandise selected, and that will automatically line iI--Il of the Fig. 2 showing the vending lock the operating mechanism if the chosen mermachine dispensing mechanism controlled by the chandisecompartment is empty. coin operating unit, and locking means for the A still further object is to produce an autocoin drum.

2429 matic coin operating unit that is simple in con- Fig. 12 is a side view of the same mechanism 2o struction, easily and elciently operated and can shown in the Fig. 11 showing the connecting be manufactured at a low cost. means to the driving drum.

These several objects are attained in the pre- Fig. 13 is a modified form of locking cam for ferred form by the construction andarrangement the coin drum. of parts more fully hereinafter set forth. My invention can best be understood when il- 25 Similar parts on all drawings arewmarked by lustrated and described in combination with a similar numerals or. letters. multiple compartment vending machine with Fig. 1 is a front view of an assembled vending which it is to .be used. machine showing the general arrangement of the In general, my invention comprises aseries of vending machine operating mechanism and the vertically positioned coin chutes positioned di- 30 connected coin operating unitmounted therein.. rectly over a coin disc operating drum rotatably Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view through the mounted therebeneath, which, if rotated with f vending machine taken on the line 2-2 of the the required operating coins deposited therein, YFig. 1 showing the front half of the cabinet and will unlock the connected vending machine and the coin operating unit as mounted thereon, with allow the chosen merchandise article to be dis- 35v its connecting means for the vending machine pensed therefrom. A selective lock releasing disc operating mechanism. A is rotatably mounted adjacent the coin chutes, Fig. 3 is a enlarged front view of the coin operand functions to release the coin disc locking arms ating unit taken on the line M of the Fig. 2 not engageable by required deposited operating 4 i 40 with the cabinet front plate removed, showing the coins. 0 general arrangement of the coin operating unit I' will now describe more fully the detailed working parts. construction of my device, referring to thel draw- Fig. 4 is an enlarged end view of the coin operings and the marks thereon. ating unit taken on the line 4 5 of the Figs. 2 'Ihe preferred vending machine cabinet l as and 3, showing the'relative position of the coin illustrated in the Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, 45 operating unit and the connected vending macomprises a lower merchandise compartment A- chine operating mechanism. and connected refrgerating compartment B Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view through the mounted directly thereabove. A11 of the cabicoin operating unit taken on the line 5 5 of the net walls of both compartments are made of suit- Fig. 3, showing the recessed coin disc and locking able heat insulating material and construction. means operating therewith. The cooling means as may be applied in the upper Fig. 6 is a back view of the coin chutes shown compartment is not material to this invention in Fig. 5 showing the slug ejecting members and and not herein shown. Within the lower comconnected coin return chutes. partment A is rotatably mounted a 'cylindrical w Fig. 7 is a front view of the spring driving drinn merchandise cage 2 formed with a series of sepa.- 55

rated merchandise compartments a positioned radially therein and uniformly spaced around the cage walls. Each vertical merchandise compartment is provided with a suitable spring elevator b for automatically raising the respective merchandise packages c as may be placed therein, to the cage top where the respective packages are dispensed by an automatic hydraulic plunger 3 mounted in the compartment top, opposite the cabinet delivery door opening 4. Suitable operating mechanism is preferably mounted at one corner of the cabinet, comprising rotatably mounted spur gears 5, 6 and I and the gear connected drive shaft 8 for rotating the merchandise cage 2 to position any chosen compart ment a opposite the delivery door 4. A small timing disc 9 is mounted on the cabinet Wall and rotatably connected by a gear I to one of the spur drive gears, designedto make one complete rotation for each merchandise compartment dis'- placement, and is provided with a restraining spring placing of the cage compartments a. A small setting crank I 2 is attached to the mounting shaft |3of the large drive gear 5 providing turning means therefor. Also av selective merchandise dial I4 is iixedly mounted on the gear shaft I3, positioned outside the cabinet wall, and is divided radially into sections, one section for each merchandise compartment a, and carries printed thereon the name and price coins required for the merchandise article in the respective cage compartments, said dial I4 being synchronized to rotate directly with the connected cage 2, and

set with the chosen dial section. opposite an indicator point as its corresponding merchandise compartment is opposite the cabinet delivery door 4. Directly opposite the drive gears 5, 6 and "I, inside the cabinet wall, is a series of xedly mounted vertical coin chutes I5, each designed to receive a chosen denomination operating coin therein, deposited through the chutewall openings d formed through the cabinet casing. The lower coin chute ends are uniformly positioned ln alignment over a special'coin disc drum I6 which is rotatably mounted directly therebeneath. I'he coin disc drum I6 is formed of a series of coin discs e assembled on a drive shaft I'I, and is provided with a drive crank I8 connected thereto by intervening drive gears I9 and 20. Each coin disc e is formed with a semi-circular coin recess f in one edge, and positioned directly beneath its respective coin chuteopen end. Each coin disc e is formed with a special lock notch g adjacent but at one side the coin recess. Directly above the coin drum I6 is mounted a series of locking arms2I, one arm being positioned above each coin disc notch g, adjacent its respective :0in chute I 5 and engageable with said disc notch when unrestrained, by reaction of the attached I ;pring member 22. Each of the series of lock arms 2| is mounted on a tubular operating shaft Z3, positioned along the cabinetfront wall, said Lubularshafts preferably being nested together, )ne inside the other as shown in Figs. 3 and 5 if the drawings, and are extended to a position iirectly opposite the drive gear which is also nade into a selective lock releasing disc. All of iaid tubular shafts 23 are rotatably mounted on 2he cabinet wall and each shaft operates indeaendently of the other. This selective lock re- .ease unit herein shown is of a flat disc construc- ;ion, instead of the cylindrical type as shown in ny former patent application Ser. No. 723,765, iled` May 3, 1934, previously mentioned.v Either attached thereto to insure accuratev `tion r leading to the coin disc drum I6.

type. may be used with this invention. Fixedly mounted on the outer end of each tubular shaft 23 is an operating arm 24, all being positioned in alignment and with their upper ends opposite the horizontal diameter of the gear 5. The outer face of the gear 5 is divided into radial sections corresponding to the sections of the selective merchandise dial I4, one section for each merchandise compartment a. Each gear radial section (or selective lock releasing disc section as hereinafter referred to), is provided with a radially positioned plate shaft 25 rotatably mounted on the gear or disc face. Each plate shaftv 25 is formed with a series of plug holes h, positioned one directly beneath the end of each operating arm 24, and lift plugs 26 are inserted within chosen holes h to engage the respective operating arms 24, designed to displace all of the remaining lock arms 2| from the coin disc notches g not engageable by required deposited operating coins, when the gear section plate shaft 25 corresponding to a chosen merchandise compartment a, is rotated to a position opposite the operating arms 24, thus leaving engaged with the coin disc only the lock arms 2| requiring coins to pay for the goods selected, and for these arms the lift .plugs 26 are omitted. When the proper coin k is inserted within its respective coin chute I5 and into the coin disc recess f, the coin drum I6 may be slightly rotated by the crank I 8, because of the slack in the lock notch g, and the inserted coin, or coins lc, will engage the respective pins 21 ofthe lock arms 2|, raising and releasing the lock arm from the disc notch y, allowing one complete rotation of the drum |6,'and also deposit the coins 1c within a cash box 28 located beneath the drum, the semi-circular drum shield 29 retaining the coins within the disc recesses f until partial rotation is made. Each coin chute is made with the top coin channel m slightly inclined, and is formed with two side openings n and p. The innerlower ends of eachJ inclined coin channel m opens directly into an attached return coin chute 32 leading back to the cabinet wall opening 33, also the side opening n is provided with another return coin chute 34 leading into the chute 32. 'I'he coin channel side opening p connects with the vertical section r of the chute I5 leading directly to the coin disc drum I6. Within the channel sections m, opposite therespective side openings n and p, are pivotally mounted trap yokes 30 and 30a, preferably balanced by an attached adjustable arm weight 3|. Should a slug be deposited within any chute I5, if heavier than the perfect required coin, when contacting the foot of the first trap yoke 30, will rock the same and the side yoke arm will eject said slug coin through the side opening n into the return coin chute 34 and into the chute -32 returning same to operator through the cabinet wall opening 33. If the coin is of perfect weight and' size it will pass over the first yoke 30 and engage the foot of the second yoke 30a, unbalancing same and ejecting the coin k through the channel side Aopening p into the chute sec- However, if the slug coin is li ,fhter than the required perfect coin, it will pass both trap yokes 30 and 30a without tripping either of them, and roll directly into the return chute 32, returning to the operator. The several side coin return chutes and trap yokes are intended to prevent cheating by the use of fake slugs or coins. Each coin chute wall opening d is provided with a vertical lock-bar 35 slidably mounted therebeneath, and

' edgewise on the supporting disc 5, engaging and positioned to engage the cam arms s formed on the side of the lock arms 2|, designed to lift the said slide lock bar 35 and partially close the coin chute opening Whenever said lock arms are disengaged from the coin disc notches g, and preventing any further insertion of coins in the respective coin chutes. The lock bars are retained in position by engaging theextended end of the spring member 22. f

To insure a more complete locking of the coin operating device and coin chutes for any special setting where` the corresponding merchandise compartment a is empty, a special ratchet gear 36 is loosely mounted on the end of each plate shaft 25, each engageable with a spring pawl 31 mounted on the end of an operating arm 24a of the outside tubular operating shaft 23a, the tubular shaft being extended to a position adjacent the coin drum I6, and which also carries a double lock arm 38 mounted thereon, said double arm 38 designed to engage alternately two ratchet gears 39 and 40 fixedly mounted on the coin drum shaft l1, and arranged -thereon with their respective ratchet teeth positioned opposite to each other as shown in-the Fig. 11. The ratchet 39 may be formed with either a concave or convex edge formation, q or q'. The function of the recess q in the ratchet 39 is to allow the arm y of the double lock arm 38 to drop therein at a greater depth than yprovided by the shallow lock teeth on the rim, to cause sufficient rocking of the outer casing 23a and arm 24a with attached arm pawl 31 to engage the ratchet 36 and rotate same one tooth, registering thereon one merchandise package dispensed from its corresponding merchandise compartment. The boss q' as shown on the ratchet 39 in Fig. 13, operates in the same way but in the opposite direction should the ratchet wheel 36'be reversed in position, operating to pull instead of push said ratchet tooth. One arm y of the double lock arm 38 is positioned to engage with the tooth of the ratchet 39, and retained in that position 'by the spring 4i, this position relieving the arm CJI z from the tooth of the adjacent ratchet 48.

A special curved wire spring 42 is mounted on the outer end of each plate shaft 25, each positioned adjacent its respective ratchet wheel 36,

said spring having one end mounted through a edge positioned to engage and displace all of the operating arms 24 and 24a. The opposite end Y of the spring 42 is curved and formed with a T-shaped head end i, designed and positioned with one head arm engaging the end wall of the shaft bearing 43 to lock said plate shaft 25 in a normal position atwise to the face of the supporting gear disc 5, against the tension of the spring coil v and positioning the series of lift plugs 26 opposite the operating armsV 24, said spring head i being retained in that position by the opposite head arm engaging the face of its respective ratchet wheel 36. 'I'he spring end arm slid along the ratchet face as the respective ratchet is rotated, until it reaches the respective wall slots 44 formedV in each ratchet wheel face, whereupon the springend drops therein, disengaging from the end v43 and allows the spring coil 'a to re-tilti said plate shaft 25 displacing all operating arms, and thereby lock- 'ing all coin chute openings d, and the coin drum Aeach shaft 25, is set with its wall slot 44 positioned a denite number of ratchet teeth back of the engaging operating arm paw] 31, each equal to the number of packages in its respective corresponding merchandise compartment a, then each respective ratchet 36 will be advanced one tooth for each corresponding package dispensed from its corresponding compartment by alternate reaction of the irregular edge formation of the ratchet 39 and the spring 4| on thel engaging lock arm y, thus rocking the tubular shaft 23a and connected operating arm 24a as said coin drum is rotated, each rotation registering one package dispensed from some compartment by advancing its respective ratchet one tooth. When any compartment is empty, the Wall notch 44 is then turned beneath the spring end y', releasing it from the bearing end, and the spring coil v re-tilts the respective corresponding plate shaftA 25 edgewise with the supporting gear disc 5, and locks the operating coin mechanism for that particularsetting of the merchandise cage compartment, but releases same when other filled compartments a are rotated in position.

Adjacent the coin disc drum I6 is a hollow driving drum 46 provided with a loose end bearing cap 41, both assembled on shaft 48 and rotatably mounted on the casing. 'I'he cap member 41 is Xedly attached to the shaft 48, while the drum. 46 is free to rotate thereon, said drum carries mounted thereon a ring spur gear 49 positioned to mesh operatively with a spur gear 50 mounted on the coin drum I6, and rotatable therewith. Within the driving drum 46 is mounted a spiral spring 5I having its oppovsite ends attached to the drum. walls and the shaft respectively, the spring being positioned to wind up' as the coin'disc drum I6 is rotated in forward direction. Pivotally mounted on the frame adjacent the edge of the drum cap 41, is a pawl 52, engageable with the cap rim notch t through reaction of the attached coil spring 53. A trip tooth w is formed on the outer wall of the drum 46, positioned to engage pawl 52 on rotation to that position, displacing same and allowing the cap 41 to rotate with the drum by reaction of the inclosed spiral spring 5i. On the outer surface o`f the cap 41 is formed an eliptical cam groove 54, positioned thereon excentric with the axis of the shaft rotation and extended vertically above the shaft, at its rest position. Slidably mounted above the cap 41 is a follower rod having its lower end engaged with the cam groove 54 and movable therewith. The Afollower rod 55 is connected to a pivoted rocker arm 56 mounted thereabove, said rocker arm being pivotally connected to a slidably mounted gear rack 51. The gear rack 51 engages operatively a pinion gear 58 mounted on shaft 59 of the rotatable cylindrical package de'- livery door 60, and which is pivotally mounted in the cabinet wall opposite the opening 4. 'I'he cylindrical delivery door 60 is formed with a package recess :t in one edge thereof, positioned, at rest,.opposite the cabinet wall opening 4, and rotatable to a. position opposite one of the mer- 'chandise cage compartments a directly in front CII of the hydraulic delivery plunger 3 as the driving drum cap 41 is rotated. By 'means of the pawl 52 engaging the cap rim notch t, the delivery mechanism is delayed until a partial rotation of the drum 46 is made, thenreleased by the drum tooth w and operates by reaction of the spiral spring 5|, rotating the cylinder door 6U to the package compartment position, receiving the merchandise package c in the recess :c and returning to the rest position opposite the cabinet wall opening 4. Also slidably mounted directly below the drum cap 41 is a hydraulic cylinder 6| andhaving an operating plunger 62 mounted therein, said plunger being extended by plunger rod 62a at the upper end and also engages operatively with the cap cam groove 54and moves therewith, depressing the plunger 62 within the inclosing cylinder 6I, and when properly lled with liquid will force the same through the connecting pipe 63 directly into the hydraulic delivery plunger 3, and automatically displace a merchandise package c from the cage compartment a into the recess a: of the door 60,

when said door is rotated to that position. The

plunger 62 being connected to the cam groove at the short radius thereof, delays the delivery plunger 6 until the door 60 is fully rotated to that position, completing the operation.

Having fully described my coin operating device, what I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: Y

l. A coin operating device adapted for multiple compartment vending machines and used in combination with the vending machine operating mechanism and required operating coins, comprising a series of adjacent open end coin chutes vertically mounted within a suitable casing, a coin drum formed of a series of recessed and notched coin discs `assembled on a shaft and rotatably mounted beneath the series or' coin chutes, in alignment therewith, designed and positioned with one coin recess beneath each coin chute open end, crank turning means mounted on the casing and connected with the coin drum for rotating same, a series of locking arms rotatably mounted above the coin drum, one arm positioned' above each coin disc notch, engageable therewith but formed with means for being displaced by an operating coin when deposited through the coin chute into the respective coin disc recess, as the drum is rotated each locking arm being provided with a suitable operating arm, a selective lock releasing disc rotatably mounted on the casing and provided with a series of lift plugs radially positioned thereon,

one series of plugs foreach compartment of the merchandise vvending machine, said selective lock releasing disc-being positioned to engage the operating arms and displace from the coin drum disc notches all of the locking arms not engageable by the required deposited operating coins, rotating means connected to said selective lock releasing disc for setting the proper series of lift plugs engageable with the operating arms, and geared means connected with the coin disc drum for rotatably connecting same to the operating mechanism of a vending machine.

2. A coin operating device adapted for a multiple compartment merchandise vending machine, and used in combination with the vend- L-shaped open end coin chutes vertically mounted within a suitable casing, a coin drum formed of a series of recessed and notched coin discs assembled on a shaft and rotatably mounted beneath the series of coin chutes, designed and positioned with one coin recess beneath each coin chute opening, crank means mounted thereon and connected to the coin drum for rotating same, a series of locking arms mounted above the coin drum, one above each coin disc notch, engageable therewith but designed to be disengaged by an operating coin when deposited through the coin chute into the respective coin disc recess, as the coin drum is rotated, said series of locking arms being mounted on the ends of a nested series of tubular shafts rotatably mounted one within another, said tubular shafts each being provided with an operating arm rmounted on its opposite end, all positioned adjacent and in alignment with each other, a selective lock releasing disc rotatably mounted onvthe casing positioned opposite the ends of the series of operating arms, said disc being provided with series of lift plugs radially positioned thereon, one series of plugs for each compartment of the merchandise multiple vending machine, designed to engage and displace various operating arms and connected locking arms unlocking them from the coin disc notches as are not engageable by required deposited operating coins, ratchet means mounted on said selective lock releasing disc, one for each plug series, vfor engaging and locking the mechanism when the respective merchandise compartments are empty, rotating means mounted on said selective disc for setting the proper lift plugs engageable opposite the operating arms, and geared means mounted on the coin drum for connecting same rotatably with the operating mechanism of the vending machine.

3. A coin operating unit adaptedy for a multiple compartment merchanidse vending machine and usedin combination with the vending machine operating mechanism and required operating coins, comprising a series of adjacent, open end coin chutes vertically mounted within a suitable frame, each of said coin chutes being provided, with a chute opening lock slide, a coin drum formed of a series of recessed and notched coin discs assembled and rotatably mounted beneath the series of coin chutes, designed and positioned with one coin disc recess beneath each coin chute end opening, crank turning means mounted thereon and connected to the coin drum for rotating same, a series of lock arms mounted above the coin drum, one above each coin disc r notch, engageable therewith but designed to be disengaged by an operating coin when deposited through the coin chute into the respective coin disc recess, as the coin drum is rotated, each of the said lock arms being formed with a cam projection positioned to engage the respective chute lock slides, raising same as the locking arms are raised and blocking the chute openings, said series of locking arms being mounted on a nested series of tubular shafts rotatably mounted one within another, said tubular shafts each being provided .with van operating arm mounted on its opposite end, all positioned adjacent and in alignment, a selective lock releasing disc rotatably mounted on the casing positioned opposite the series of tubular shaft operating arms, said disc being provided with a series plate shaft, radially positioned and rotatably mounted on said selective disc face, one plate shaft for each vending machine merchandise compartment, each plate shaft being provided with a series of selective lift plugs also positioned radially thereon, designed to engage and .displace various operating arms and connected locking arms from their respective coin disc notches as are not engageable by the required deposited operating coins, ratchet locking means mounted on the ends of each plate shaft also engageable with one of the operating arms mounted on the tubular shafts, designed to rotate said plate shaft and lock al1 operating mechanism when a specified number of merchandise packages have been dispensed from the respective merchandise compartments of the vending machine, rotating means mounted on the said selective lock releasing disc for *setting the proper series of lift plugs opposite the operating arm ends, and geared means mounted on the coin drum mechanism for connecting same rotatably with the operating mechanism of the vending machine.

RUSSELL H. BIRD. 

